Promoting tourism in Wairarapa

Piers Fuller Reporter from News of Wairarapa

Wairarapa is being increasingly recognised by tourists as an undiscovered gem and a new video tourism campaign targeting Australians aims to further boost visitor numbers to the region.
MBIE’s latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates for December 2018 show domestic tourism spending in the Wairarapa increased 11.1 per cent to $153.2 and the international visitor spend by 2.4 per cent to $37.2 million.
The Australian tourism spend – Australia is easily the Wellington region’s largest international tourism market – increased by 4.8 per cent to $11.7 million for 2018.
WREDA and Destination Wairarapa have joined forces in a new online tourism video campaign targeting older Australians to visit Wairarapa. Anecdotally, Australian travellers in the 55-74-year-old age group are more likely to explore regional Wellington as part of their Wellington vacation.
The video was made by Wellington-based production company Flying Saucer.
WREDA General Manager David Perks says the online campaign invites Australians to include some time in Wairarapa as part of a four or five day visit to the capital.
“Many visitors to New Zealand are looking for that mix of a vibrant, fun city experience and a more relaxed vibe and beautiful landscapes.
“It doesn’t get much better than the Wellington and Wairarapa combo. Wellington offers a creative, compact city experience and Wairarapa jaw-dropping coastline, charming towns and villages, and a world-class wine scene. It’s the perfect short break package.”
Destination Wairarapa Marketing Manager Barbara Hyde says Statistics New Zealand’s Commercial Accommodation Monitor report for the year ending December 2018 showed Wairarapa guest nights were up 10.9 per cent, or 26,302 more guest nights.
“Compare this growth against any region in the country and the Wairarapa is clearly continuing on its upward growth trajectory. It’s an outstanding result for the region,” Ms Hyde says.
C’est Cheese owner Paul Broughton says his Featherston-based shop has been going gangbusters.
“Since opening in 2013, C'est Cheese has experienced significant year-on-year increases in visitor numbers, noticeably so over the last 24 months. We receive a healthy mix of national and international guests, all of whom are very much focused on local product and experiences.
“This growth in visitor numbers has encouraged us to recently invest in a new cheese-themed dine in option, significant expansion of the retail premises and the completion of our own small in-house cheese factory.”